Hardcover

Description

Building beyond Lakoff’s election-year best-seller, Don’t Think of an Elephant, this new book shows how the values of American voters are dramatically shifting. With the arrival of the 2008 election year, a rising feminized majority—made up of both women and men—is emerging as the pivotal force in American politics. Emerging trends show these values are broadly progressive and address not just the needs of women but the general interests of society. Though they are held by women substantially more than men, these have become the values held by a majority of all voters, including millions of men.

Like earlier periods in American history, such as the New Deal era, the rise of the feminized majority today presents an opportunity for the Democrats to become the governing party for decades to come. Looking beyond the 2008 election, Adam and Derber describe a new political strategy that targets the feminized base and opens up a window for major social justice movements to make progressive change.

Like Lakoff’s, this striking new book—perfectly timed for the 2008 election year—offers a new vocabulary for every citizen who wants to understand (and reimagine) American politics. It will intrigue and provoke readers, stirring up new conversations among progressives and new insights for every citizen interested in politics, morality, religion, values, and social justice.

Reveals the “Three Hillaries” and why two of her three political dimensions consist of masculinized values

Shows why Obama and Edwards are more “feminized” than Hillary Clinton

Builds on Lakoff’s Elephant by showing how gender is increasingly pivotal in political values, and by revealing the deep historical roots of gendered values in America

Looks at the relationship between religion, values, and politics in a new way

A book perfectly timed for the first election in which a woman, Hillary Clinton, stands a strong chance of becoming president

Written by a widely experienced political campaigner and a noted social critic

Shows how political discussions have been gender-blind and how gender awareness opens new windows to social justice in America

Author Info

Katherine Adam is a Democratic Party Activist. She has worked in campaigns at the federal, state, and local levels, including the presidential campaigns of Howard Dean and John Kerry.

Charles Derber, Professor of Sociology at Boston College, has written twenty books,including bestsellers with multiple translations and editions. He has also written opinion pieces for the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Christian Science Monitor, Newsday, and other newspapers and magazines. His most recent book is Capitalism: Should You Buy It? An Invitation to Political Economy (Paradigm 2014).

Reviews

"Since the gender gap was identified in the 1980s, candidates have pandered to women voters—only to turn their backs when elected. Not this time, say Derber and Adam in this insightful twist on presidential politics. Women’s values matter as much as their votes in this election. As those values are pro family, environment, children, health care, a strong economy, peace, and a strong, principled United States, then history will be made in this election no matter what. This time, not just a gender gap, but a victory for values. This is a valuable book chronicling this pivotal moment.”

“The New Feminized Majority has breathtaking implications for understanding short- and long-term changes in American society, politics, and culture. The authors are careful researchers, a talented writing team, and outstanding social commentators.”

"Charles Derber is one of our most astute and eloquent social critics.”

—Howard Zinn, Professor Emeritus, Boston University

“This hopeful book from Adam (her coauthor's former student) and Derber (professor of sociology at Boston College) will resonate most with Democrats, but it's aimed at a general audience. The authors interpret the polling data of recent years as indicating more "feminized" values in the electorate and advise all Democrats to embrace these values. Recommended for public and undergraduate libraries.”